College Basketball Preview - Northeast Conference

OUTLOOK: Long Island enters the 2012-13 campaign with hopes of becoming the first Northeast Conference team to win three consecutive league titles, and the Blackbirds have an awfully good shot at pulling off that feat. After beating Robert Morris in each of the last two NEC championship games, LIU head coach Jim Ferry took the open job at Duquesne and was replaced by assistant Jack Perri. Perhaps that transition will open the door for Robert Morris, which has played in four straight NEC title tilts, to finally crash through. After all, the Colonials do lead all mid-majors with 117 victories over the last five years.

While those two squads figure to once again be among the last teams standing
in the conference, there are plenty of interesting storylines elsewhere. In
addition to Perri, three other new coaches join the NEC. Bashir Mason inherits
a very favorable situation at Wagner, where the 28-year-old becomes the
youngest head coach in Division I. Jamion Christian, who is just two years
older than Mason, takes over at Mount St. Mary's, while Rob Krimmel steps into
a rebuilding job at St. Francis-PA.

Don't sleep on Quinnipiac, as the Bobcats will turn to a promising frontcourt
to replace former leading scorer James Johnson. St. Francis-NY, Monmouth and
Sacred Heart could also figure in the mix. Of the rest of the schools, Central
Connecticut State has some key holes to fill but plenty of young talent to do
it with, while Bryant and Fairleigh Dickinson combined for just five wins a
year ago.

LONG ISLAND: LIU was picked to finish first in last year's coaches poll, and
the Blackbirds went on to win the NEC Tournament for the second consecutive
season, even advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Over the
last two years, they have won a conference-record 32 NEC games and enter the
2012-13 campaign riding a 27-game home win streak, the second longest in the
nation behind Kentucky. Former coach Jim Ferry took the head coaching job at
Duquesne back in April, and assistant Jack Perri was promoted to take Ferry's
place. Look for Perri to stay with the team's up-tempo style that produced the
nation's second-ranked scoring offense (81.4 ppg). Julian Boyd, the reigning
NEC Player of the Year, and all-conference selections Jamal Olasewere and
Jason Brickman return, making the Blackbirds a strong candidate to three-peat
for the first time in league history. Senior forwards Boyd (17.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg)
and Olasewere (16.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg) are both highly-efficient scorers. Boyd, who
is on pace to become the NEC's all-time leading rebounder, led the conference
with 14 double-doubles in 2011-12 and was named NEC Tournament MVP. The
athletic 6-7 Olasewere is a matchup nightmare, while point guard Brickman (9.6
ppg, 7.3 apg, .406 3ptr) has led the conference in assists in each of his
first two seasons. Third-leading scorer CJ Garner (12.6 ppg) also returns to
the backcourt.

ROBERT MORRIS: The Colonials figure to once again have something to say about
who wins the league crown this season. After all, they have played in each of
the last four NEC title games (winning two) and are primed to be a contender
yet again. Third-year head coach Andy Toole returns the top seven scorers from
last season's squad that set a new school record with 26 victories, including
a nation-high 14 road wins. It all starts with senior All-NEC guard Velton
Jones, who averaged a team-best 16.0 ppg and was fourth in the conference with
4.5 assists per tilt. Jones also went to the foul line a conference-most 270
times. He is joined in the backcourt by junior Coron Williams (10.8 ppg), who
buried a league-high 87 3-pointers (.410). On the wing, athletic sophomore
Lucky Jones returns after averaging 8.5 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds
off the bench to earn NEC All-Rookie honors. Junior Anthony Myers, a 40.7-
percent shooter from beyond the arc, adds depth at point guard. Down low,
senior Lijah Thompson (7.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and junior Mike McFadden (8.4 ppg,
4.3 rpg) roam the paint along with senior small forward Russell Johnson (8.5
ppg, 5.7 rpg). Juco transfer Vaughn Morgan (6-6) could also work his way into
the frontcourt rotation.

WAGNER: The Seahawks won a school-record 25 games last season, including a
seismic road win over Big East school Pittsburgh. Four starters return,
although the pressure will be squarely on 28-year-old Bashir Mason, who was
promoted from assistant to head coach, replacing Dan Hurley. The foundation is
certainly in place for a successful 2012-13 season, as Second-Team All-NEC
guard Latif Rivers returns after averaging 14.6 points and knocking down 59
three-pointers. Rivers, who has shown a knack for making clutch plays, ranked
second in the conference in free-throw percentage (.884). Junior point guard
Kenny Ortiz won NEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, finishing in the top-
five in the NEC in both steals (second, 1.8) and assists (fifth, 4.3).
Michigan State transfer Dwaun Anderson can play multiple positions and will be
a welcome addition. Small forward Jonathon Williams returns after averaging
13.4 ppg and a team-best 5.0 rpg, while junior center Naofall Folahan is back
after pacing the conference with 1.7 blocks per game.

QUINNIPIAC: The Bobcats are coming off an 18-win season (10-8 NEC) and a
third straight postseason appearance, but they'll need to replace two-time
All-NEC guard and leading scorer James Johnson. Head coach Tom Moore, who is
entering his sixth season at the helm, does return a potent frontcourt
featuring 6-7 junior forward Ike Azotam. Last year as a sophomore, Azotam led
the conference in rebounding (9.5 rpg) and double-doubles (14), and he was
second on the team with 15.8 ppg to earn Second-Team All-NEC honors. Joining
Azotam once again on the front line are 6-9 sophomore center Ousmane Drame and
6-7 senior forward Jamee Jackson. Drame was an All-Rookie selection after
averaging 6.5 points and 7.3 rebounds despite playing less than 20 minutes per
contest. Jackson fought through injuries to average 8.4 points and 5.1 boards.
Behind that trio, Quinnipiac ranked second nationally in rebound margin
(+10.2) behind only North Carolina. In the backcourt, senior point guard Dave
Johnson (8.8 ppg, 3.7 apg) is flanked by promising sophomore Zaid Hearst (7.2
ppg), while Garvey Young (5.9 ppg) and newcomers Kendrick Ray and Tariq Carey
will likely figure into coach Moore's rotation.

ST. FRANCIS-NY: The Terriers weren't expected to make a whole lot of noise
last year, but they turned some heads by starting 9-2 in league play and
hosting a NEC tournament game for the first time since 2004. Now, they are
eyeing up their first-ever NEC title. Glenn Braica, who was named the NEC
Coach of the Year, brings back nearly all of the key components from last
year's squad. It all starts in the paint with Jalen Cannon (8.8 ppg), who
earned NEC All-Rookie honors after a remarkable freshman campaign. Cannon's
8.8 rebounds per game were second-most among freshman across the country
behind Kentucky's Anthony Davis. With Cannon roaming the blocks, St. Francis-
NY established a reputation as one of the conference's top rebounding teams.
Senior Akeem Johnson is another skilled forward, as he shot an impressive 57.4
percent from the floor while averaging 11.1 ppg. Sharpshooter Stefan Perunicic
has moved on, but the Terriers still have a few shooters in tow. Ben Mockford,
who led the team in scoring with 11.8 ppg last season, knocked down a league-
best 2.8 three-pointers per game. Travis Nichols shot 40.7 percent from the
perimeter and averaged 9.3 ppg. At point guard, senior Dre Calloway returns
after missing nearly the entire 2011-12 season with a shoulder injury, and
he'll be flanked in the backcourt by sophomore Brent Jones (7.9 ppg, 3.9 apg).

SACRED HEART: Coming off a 14-18 season, the Pioneers will likely go as far
as senior All-NEC guard Shane Gibson takes them. Gibson was the nation's
fourth-leading scorer a year ago (22.0 ppg), as he shot an ultra-efficient 51
percent from the floor and knocked down a league-high 87 3-pointers (.433).
Put simply, there isn't much that Gibson can't do on the basketball court. An
86 percent free-throw shooter, he also averaged 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals
per game last season. Fellow guards Chris Evans (8.1 ppg), Louis Montes (7.8
ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Evan Kelley (7.3 ppg) all logged heavy minutes last year as
sophomores, and 35th-year head coach Dave Bike is hopeful they'll each
continue to progress. Likewise, point guard Phil Gaetano led the team with 4.0
apg last year as a freshman. Bike added some size in the offseason to try and
create better spacing for Gibson, as 6-6 De'Aires Tate and 6-7 Tevin Falzon
are new to the fold. Justin Swidowski, a 6-9 senior, averaged 11.1 points and
a team-best 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the floor.

MONMOUTH: The Hawks (12-20, 10-8) are coming off their best season in the NEC
since 2005-06, and more success could be in store this winter. King Rice has
plenty of talent on the roster and it starts in the backcourt with speedy
senior Jesse Steele, who averaged a team-high 12.6 ppg and knocked down 62-
of-177 trifectas (.350). Dion Nesmith (8.8 ppg) can also stretch the floor, as
he shot an impressive 38.4 percent (38-of-99) from beyond the arc. Nesmith and
6-6 swingman Andrew Nicholas tied for second on the team in scoring, and both
are back. Down low, seniors Ed Waite (7.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Marcus Ware (6.4
ppg, 3.9 rpg) roam the paint, although Rice would like to see some more
scoring from his frontcourt. Freshmen Tyrone O'Garro (6-5) and Collin Stewart
(6-7) could work their way into the forward mix. After posting a minus-8.7
scoring margin, Rice believes he has the players to now open up the offense a
bit, but that will also hinge on converting more high-percentage looks from
the paint.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE: The Blue Devils finished in the middle of the pack
last season (13-16, 10-8 NEC), and now they'll have to try and replace former
NEC Player of the Year Ken Horton as well as 1,500-point scorer Robby Ptacek.
Still, if anyone is up to the challenge, it is longtime head coach Howie
Dickenman. The departures of Horton and Ptacek open the door for sophomore
guard Kyle Vinales to become CCSU's primary offensive option. The reigning NEC
Rookie of the Year was named the league's rookie of the week a record eight
times last season, but the training wheels are now off and Vinales will be
asked to carry the scoring load. No freshman in the nation scored better than
his 17.9 ppg last season, as Vinales proved deadly from long range (71-of-184)
and adept at finding open teammates (3.6 apg). Fellow guard Malcolm McMillan
is also looking to take a step forward in his sophomore campaign after leading
the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.02) as a rookie. CCSU is a bit thin
down low, but 6-7 freshman Brandon Peel could provide an immediate spark.

MOUNT ST. MARY'S: After finishing 8-21 overall and 6-12 in the conference,
the school hired 30-year-old Jamion Christian to replace Robert Burke as head
coach. Christian, who previously served as an assistant under Shaka Smart at
VCU, played at Mount St. Mary's from 2000-04 and was a three-year captain.
Christian had a solid first recruiting class, and Marist transfer Sam Prescott
and George Mason transfer Rashad Whack are now eligible, which should make for
some interesting competition. Christian plans to shift from the team's
familiar slow-paced, defensive style to a more open and up-tempo style. He
certainly has the players to pull off such a switch. Junior guard Julian
Norfleet led the Mountaineers with 13.7 ppg while knocking down a team-high 69
threes (.373). Norfleet's range provides a nice complement to point guard Josh
Castellanos (8.1 ppg), who ranked third in the NEC with 4.6 apg. Rounding out
the starting backcourt is former walk-on Kelvin Parker, who came out of
nowhere to average 9.0 points and 4.6 rebounds last year as a freshman, also
hitting 43 percent from beyond the arc. Raven Barber (9.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and
Kristijan Krajina (5.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg) return to the frontcourt.

BRYANT: Despite winning only two games last season, things are starting to
look up for the Bulldogs and fifth-year head coach Tim O'Shea. Junior Alex
Francis remains the focal point. The 6-6 forward followed up his NEC Rookie of
the Year campaign by averaging 17.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last year
as a sophomore, both of which ranked in the top-10 in the NEC. In addition to
Francis, the team returns double-digit scorers Frankie Dobbs (13.3 ppg) and
Corey Maynard (11.4 ppg). The senior point guard Dobbs finished second in the
league with 4.6 assists per game, while Maynard, a junior guard, hit 40
percent of his three-point attempts in 2011-12. Complementing those veterans
are seven newcomers, headlined by Columbia transfer Dynami Starks. Another
transfer, 6-4 guard Joe O'Shea (Holy Cross), can hit from long range. He is
also coach O'Shea's nephew. All in all, the Bulldogs appear poised to make a
significant leap in the win column, although they may still be another year or
two away from contending for the NEC crown.

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON: After posting only three wins last season, fourth-year
coach Greg Vetrone is hoping for a spark from any of his six newcomers.
Transfers Yves Jules (Hofstra) and Mustafaa Jones (Hartford) add some depth to
the backcourt, while 6-6 freshman Xavier Harris could crack the frontcourt
rotation. Just how much those newcomers are ready to contribute remains to be
see. However, the backcourt remains a strength with the return of top scorers
Melquan Bolding (15.1 ppg) and Lonnie Hayes (13.0 ppg, 4.1 apg). Bolding is a
strong ballhandler, although his team-high 38 three-pointers came on only 29-
percent accuracy. He'll move back to the two-guard spot to make room for point
guard Hayes, whose season was cut short due to a broken foot after 11 games.
Another guard, Lonnie Robinson (6.9 ppg), knocked down 35.4 percent of his
attempts from long range and will resume his role stretching opposing
defenses. Down low is 6-6 senior Kinu Rochford, who averaged 9.3 points and
6.8 rebounds per game while shooting a healthy 56 percent from the field.

ST. FRANCIS-PA: After a disappointing six-win campaign, the school hired
former player Rob Krimmel (1996-2000) to become the new head coach and try to
rebuild the program. With 11 underclassmen on the roster, Krimmel will need
some time to see what he can do. Still, the cupboard is not entirely bare at
St. Francis-PA. Guard Umar Shannon was a Second-Team All-NEC pick two years
ago as a sophomore, and his hopes for a breakout season last year were
shattered by a knee injury in the opener against VCU. Shannon, who had 26
points before suffering the injury, averaged a team-best 15.8 ppg and made 68
three-pointers in 2010-11. With Shannon unavailable last season, senior
Anthony Ervin shot 37.6 percent from the perimeter (38-of-101) and averaged
11.2 points. Elsewhere in the backcourt, sophomores Stephon Whyatt (9.2 ppg)
and Ollie Jackson (6.3 ppg) look to build off solid rookie seasons and
continue to knock down shots from outside. Down low, the Red Flash are razor-
thin. Sophomore Earl Brown (6.0 ppg) showed some promise last season, but
coach Krimmel will likely have to rely on some freshmen for minutes.